Of course, Amazon hacked Android so heavily that it is hard to find any traces of Jelly Bean in the UI. But this does not mean you cannot install Android apps, for example, from Google Play Store.

Amazon Appstore for Android has a decent collection of apps that are compatible with most Android devices. Similarly, most Android apps can work on Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX tablets without any modifications.

So, the answer is very clear. Yes,you can run almost all Android apps in Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX.

Currently, Amazon Appstore for Android still has far fewer apps than Google Play store. Sometimes, you may need some apps that are available in Google Play, but are not available in Amazon Appstore.

Because the official way to get apps on Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX is through Amazon Appstore for Android, you have to sideload apps to your Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX if the apps are from other sources.

Thankfully, sideloading Android apps to Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX is quite easy. Actually, there are many different ways. In this post, I will show you the easiest way to sideload apps to a Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX tablet.

It is so easy that everyone can do it. After finishing the tutorial, you will sideload Android apps (two apps) to your Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD or Kindle Fire HDX tablets already.

To sideload Android apps in Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX, you need an internet connection. It is probably better to use WiFi if your mobile data plan is very limited or is very slow.

Step 1: Enable “Apps from unknown sources”

Sideloading android apps means you want to install apps from places other than from the “official” market designated by the tablet vendor.

The official app market for Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX is Amazon Appstore for Android. If you want to install any apps that are not from this Appstore, you must enable “Apps from unknown sources”. This is a security measure. You need make sure you get the apps from reliable sources if you want to sideload apps in Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX.

To enable “Apps from unknown sources”, you need:

Swipe down the notification bar.

Tap settings (1).

Tap Applications (2).

Tap “On” for Apps from unknown sources (3).

Tap “OK” to acknowledge the warning message (4).

Make sure the Apps from unknown source is on.

Tap Home button to return to home (5).

Step 2: Download and install 1Mobile Market app

To sideload Android apps in Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX, you need find the apk file. Although you can do this manually by visiting individual developers website, most developers now do not put APK files on their website. Instead, most of them put a link to Google Play store.

1Mobile app can be a middleman between your Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX tablet and Google Play store. With 1Mobile app, you can get almost all apps that are available in Google Play store. Sometimes, it may even help you overcome the geographic limitations for some apps (some apps are available in selected regions in Google Play store; 1Mobile may download the app even though you are not in the targeted regions.)

So the first Android app that we need to sideload to Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX is 1Mobile App. You can do this by following these operations:

In the home screen, tap Silk browser (6).

The Silk browser should open. In Silk browser, type the address: 1mobile.com (7).

Tap 1Mobile Market button (8)

Choose Tablet version of the 1Mobile app. Tap and download the app (9).

Tap “OK” to start the download (10).

Once the download for 1Mobile app is finished, tap the menu button (3 vertical dots) of the silk browser (11).

Once in the home screen, you cannot find the app (1Mobile app) you just installed, because none of the apps sideloaded to Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX appears on the home screen by default.

So, after you sideload Android apps in Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX, you need manually add it to the home screen so that you can access them quickly next time.

To add the sideloaded Android apps to the home screen, you can follow these steps:

In the home screen, tap Apps (16).

Tap “On Device” (17).

You should find the sideloaded apps now.

Tap and hold the 1Mobile App icon until the context menu pops out (18).

Tap “Add to home” to add a shortcut of 1Mobile app in the home screen (19).

Tap Home button to return to home screen (20).

Scroll down the home screen, and you can now find the 1Mobile app there (21).

Step 4 (optional): Disable update notification and show notification

But before using the 1Mobile Market app, you may want to change some 1Mobile Market app settings.

This step is totally optional. But sometimes, the notifications from 1Mobile are a bit annoying. You may want to disable them. At the end of this tutorial, I will show you disable the notification from 1Mobile app completely.

In the home screen, launch 1Mobile market app (21).

Tap 1Mobile Market menu icon (the 3 vertical dots) (22).

Tap “Settings” (23).

You may turn off “Enable update notification” and “Show notification”. (drag the On to the left to switch to Off)

Tap return button to return to 1Mobile market app (24).

Step 5: Download and install Chrome for Android app

After sideloading 1Mobile Market app, you can install almost all apps that are available in Google Play store.

As mentioned before, after you sideload Android apps to Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX, they are not shown on the home screen by default. You need add the sideloaded app to home screen manually.

In the home screen, tap Apps (28).

Tap “On Device” (29). You should find Chrome for Android is listed there.

Tap and hold Chrome app icon, until the context menu pops out (30).

Tap “Add to Home” (31). This will add a shortcut of Chrome for Android app in the home screen.

Tap Home button to return to home screen (32).

In the home screen, scroll down (swipe up). You can find Chrome now is listed there (33).

Now you can test the sideloaded Chrome for Android on Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX. Normally, after you sideload Android apps in Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX, it is a good practice to test it.

How to disable some annoying notifications from 1Mobile market app

1Mobile Market is one of the best apps if you want to sideload Android apps in Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX. It gives you access almost all apps in Google Play store from Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX tablets.

Transcripts for the video of “How to sideload Android apps in Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX”

For the transcripts and other Kindle Fire guides, please visit Kindle Fire for Kid dot com.

You may already know that your Kindle Fire tablet, including Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle Fire HDX, actually is an Android tablet. The Fire OS 3 in the new Kindle Fire HD, Kindle Fire HDX 7 and Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 actually is based on Android Jelly Bean 4.2. So, you can run almost all Android apps in Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX.

Sometimes, you may need some apps that are available in Google Play, but are not available in Amazon Appstore. Because the official way to get apps on Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX is through Amazon Appstore for Android, you have to sideload apps to your Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX if the apps are from other sources.
This tutorial will guide you to sideload two Android apps to your Kindle Fire HDX tablet. It also applies to Kindle Fire, and Kindle Fire HD.

Let's start.

Step 1: Enable “Apps from unknown sources”
In the home screen, swipe down the notification bar.

Tap settings

Tap Applications

Tap “On” for Apps from unknown sources . This will make it possible to sideload apps from sources other than Amazon's official App store.

Tap “OK” to acknowledge the warning message . This essentially tells you the risk of sideloading. You need sure you only apps from reliable and trusted sources.

Make sure the Apps from unknown source is on. Yellow color indicates this option is on. Tap Home button to return to home screen

Step 2: Download and install 1Mobile Market app
To sideload Android apps in Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX, you need find the APK file. Although you can do this manually by visiting individual developers website, most developers now do not put APK files on their website. Instead, most of them put a link to Google Play store.

1Mobile app can be a middleman between your Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX tablet and Google Play store. With 1Mobile app, you can get almost all apps that are available in Google Play store. Sometimes, it may even help you overcome the geographic limitations for some apps. Some apps are available in selected regions in Google Play store; 1Mobile may download the app even though you are not in the targeted regions.

So the first Android app that we need to sideload to Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX is 1Mobile App. Now. let's start.

In the home screen, tap Silk browser This is the default web browser in Kindle Fire tablets

Choose Tablet version of the 1Mobile app. Tap and download the app .The tablet version is optimized for bigger screens in tablets.

Tap “OK” to start the download .

Once the download for 1Mobile app is finished, tap the menu button (3 vertical dots) of the silk browser This will open the options of Silk browser. Tap “Downloads”. This will list all files downloaded through your Silk browser.

Tap the APK file entry as shown to install 1Mobile app .

Tap “Install” to finish the sideloading 1Mobile app. In landscape mode, you need tap "Next" to see the install button.

Tap Home button to return to home screen once the installation is done.

Step 3: Add 1Mobile Market app home screen
Once in the home screen, you cannot find the app you just installed, because none of the apps sideloaded to Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX appears on the home screen by default.
So, after you sideload Android apps, you need manually add it to the home screen so that you can access them quickly next time.

In the home screen, tap Apps.

Tap “On Device”. You should find the sideloaded apps now.

Tap and hold the 1Mobile App icon until the context menu pops out.

Tap “Add to home” to add a shortcut of 1Mobile app in the home screen .
Tap Home button to return to home screen

Now, scroll down the home screen, you can now find the 1Mobile app there.

Step 4: Disable update notification and show notification.
1Mobile app is useful, but sometimes, the notifications from 1Mobile are a bit annoying. You may want to disable them. Now, let's start.

In the home screen, launch 1Mobile market app by tapping the icon once.

Tap 1Mobile Market menu icon (the 3 vertical dots).

Tap “Settings”.

You may want to turn off “Enable update notification” and “Show notification”. Drag the On button to the left to switch to Off.
After finishing the setting, tap return (back) button to return to 1Mobile market app.

Step 5: Download and install Chrome for Android app.
After sideloading 1Mobile Market app, you can install almost all apps that are available in Google Play store. Now let’s try to sideload Chrome browser to Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX.

In the search bar of 1Mobile app, type “chrome”. You will find out Chrome browser is there.
Tap Chrome Browser-Google to download the app.

Once the download is finished, it will prompt you to install. Alternatively, there is a notification in the notification bar, you can tap it to begin the installation.

Before the installation, the permissions of this app are listed. You need scroll down to find the install button. Tap this “Install” button to install Chrome browser in your Kindle Fire tablets

Once installation of Google Chrome for Android is done, tap Home button to return to home screen.

Step 6: Add Chrome for Android app to the home screen
As mentioned before, after you sideload Android apps to Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX, they are not shown on the home screen by default. You need add the sideloaded app to home screen manually.

Tap “Add to Home”. This will add a shortcut of Chrome for Android app in the home screen. Tap Home button to return to home screen.

In the home screen, scroll down (swipe up). You can find Chrome now is listed in the home screen

Step 7: Test Chrome for Android app on your tablet
Now you can test the sideloaded Chrome for Android on Kindle Fire, Kindle Fire HD and Kindle Fire HDX. Normally, after you sideload Android apps in your tablet, it is a good practice to test it.

All these Google apps (developed by Google) now require Google play services, and Google services framework. Google tightened the controls of these core apps so it is hard to make them work easily on Kindle fire tablets. They are also no stable on Kindle fire tablets.

Hello, when I install applications that install fine, but then do not appear on home or applications (device), i search the apps with ES FILE, and i see then installed, but in the home or app in the kindle not appear, What i can do???

Can you sideload apps you need to pay for? I side loaded 4 google apps and got gmail working OK but every so often kindle fire hd goes unstable with top menu line (with kindle name, WiFi, battery) disappears or jumps. When I eventually get it back after many resets, I have had to delete Google apps. Great device but hate Amazon for their meddling with android and trying to control what people can buy.ma

Hi, I really appreciate this guide of yours. However, as I’ve done all the steps accordingly to your instruction, this game “Crusaders Quest” that I downloaded from 1Mobile couldn’t be operated. There was a notification which indicated the need of Google Play services. I tried installing it but still, the game couldn’t work properly. Can you help me solve this problem?

Hi, I can sideload without problems and run apps in the main profile. What I can’t do is add them to the Fire for Kids profile. No sideloaded apps appear on the content lists. Add content to child’s profile – change For Kids to All but no sideloaded apps appear. How do I get them onto the list!?

Hi thanks for the tutorial. I’m having a hard time. I did this last year and downloaded chrome which I use regularly. I can download however can’t install. When I attempt to use Silk to respond. No typing, searching nothing. Was wondering do I need to set kindle HD back to factory settings? I hope you can ask before I do this. Thanks in advance.

Says chrome is installed. Icon on home screen. When you tap it just blinks. Tried uninstall and all over again with same results. Try to do anything else and it asks whether to use Chrome or Silk. If you choose chrome nothing happens.

Everything downloaded fine, but when I go to sideload Chromecast it says my device isn’t compatible with this version. How/where do I get a version of Chromecast that is compatible with my 5th generation Kindle Fire?

hi trying to download Chrome Browser -Google as per your introductions above but it gets right to the end of 40.2MB the says ‘Parse Error’ in red – i have a kindle fire version 10.5.1 please can you help? Thanks

I have used this app to gain the games I needed!! Thanks! Problem now tho is how do I get these games to appear on the child’s Amazon profile?? It only lets me have the Amazon downloaded ones. Please help !!

I’ve got a bunch of ultraviolet movies that won’t play on the Kindle anymore. They used to play on the Flixter app, but that app now says it is no longer supported for Kindle. Any chance you’d be able to tell me whether the Flixter or even VUDU apps available through the Google Play store will work if I install them after installing the 1Mobile Market app?

I’m worried that will only solve half my problem. Unfortunately, I took all my downloaded versions of the movies off my Kindle to free up space. Then Flixter stopped supporting movie downloads and playback, so now I need a way to get the movies onto my Kindle plus a way to play them. VLC Player seems like the perfect solution for playing them, so thank you very much for that suggestion. Now I’ve got to find a solution to get the movies onto my Kindle. I’m capable, but pretty far from savvy, so I’m searching for a solution that isn’t too complex and doesn’t involve downloading a bunch of questionable copies of movies I already own UV copies of. Any suggestions?

I downloaded 1 moble years ago on my kindle. Havent used it much since android phone. Just tried to download google translate and moble 1 app says no connection. Has some kindle update somewhere down the line destroyed my 1 moble app?

Yes, the recent 2 or 3 generations of fire HD tablet. Even the $49 one can use YouTube without issues.

Anyway, the root problem is FireOS. HDX was stopped at fire OS 4, in which Amazon tried its best to block any Google things. In Fire OS 5, they gave up the efforts. This is the reason why it is easier to use Google play store and other apps in latest tablet. It’s purely a software issue.